The right questions: UCSO community forum set for next week

Friday

Jul 20, 2018 at 10:00 PM

Summer break is almost over, but the University Center of Southern Oklahoma is looking to get adults thinking about retiring to education.

UCSO will hold a community forum to answer questions about their programs, along with Southern Tech, GED courses through Ardmore High School and other options for people who want to go back to school. The forum is slated for 6 to 7 p.m. July 24 at the Ardmore Public Library. Kirk Rushing, a counselor with UCSO, said universities involved with the center will be represented along with the Carter County Health Department and Department of Human Services.

“We want to show them the process, show them how to get in, and kind of give them some clarity,” Rushing said. “They may not understand it’s available, they may not understand what’s possible.”

He said the center holds plenty of events targeting middle and high school students, but this one is specifically for adults who may not know where to start. Rushing said he’ll also be answering questions about financial aid and scholarships.

“My job is to help get you wherever you want to go,” Rushing said. “Trade school, college, wherever it is.”

He said the library staff told him the library is also a common place for people to job hunt or work on applications.

“It’s going to be a lot of information,” Rushing said. “We’ll do a couple more of these in the community.”

He said UCSO typically holds events like this in its center, but the library is more centrally located. He said that since the center moved into its new building at 2901 Mt. Washington Road, people often struggle to find it.

“It’s difficult for people to get out here,” Rushing said. “We’re still pushing to get this name out because there is so much more we need to do in Ardmore.”